Tuesday Had A Dream Child
by Rose Rebellion
Summary: Micky, Davy, Mike, and Peter make up a group of aspiring musicians who call themselves "The Monkees." Their struggles to establish success take them down many avenues. But will their growth as musicians and individuals lead them to the fame they crave?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Young Generation**

It was the perfect afternoon for the beach. The skies were clear, the sun bright and hot overhead, the waters wonderfully cool. A good distance up from the surf, a volleyball court had been set up in the sand, and seven guys were engaged in a game. Originally, there had been eight of them, their teams evenly divided. But one of the teammates, the tallest of the group who had been wearing a green wool hat despite the fact that it was a hot July day, had left them momentarily.

The three guys remaining were holding their own quite nicely despite being short a man. The tallest of the three at a solid six feet was Micky. To say that he had energy was an understatement. He was burning up the court. His remaining two teammates, Davy and Peter, were somewhat grateful for Micky's exuberance. Now that they had lost Mike, however briefly, they could use every advantage they could get. Especially since Davy was lucky to be pushing 5'3". And besides, it would mollify some of Micky's general hyperness...

"Comin' at ya, Davy!" Peter called, spiking the ball up into the air in his friend's direction.

Little though he was, Davy was a talented sportsman. Leaping an impressive few feet into the air, he slammed the ball over the net and right into the sand at the other teams' feet. The three exclaimed joyfully amidst the other team's grumblings.

"Way to go, man, we're up by four points now!" Micky enthused. He announced the score and then served the ball back into play.

Suddenly, Micky's dark eyes widened as he caught sight of three girls, two blondes and a brunette. Each of them was lovely, but it was one of the blondes, the taller of the two, who captured his attention. She was easily the tallest of the three, her dark blonde hair stirring gently about her shoulders and gleaming in the sunlight. The jean shorts she wore did a fabulous job of showing off her beautifully long, toned legs. Like her companions, her skin was fair. The three of them stood out easily amidst the sun-bronzed bodies of the beach inhabitants. But oh! Was her skin lovely, and enhanced brilliantly by her crimson bikini top.

The world around him seemed to fade away entirely, and Micky could do nothing but stare at the beauty as she laughed and talked with her friends, the burnished gold waves of her hair flashing enticingly in the sunlight. Who was she?--

Wham!

His thoughts were abruptly and painfully shattered, the air forced from his lungs in an audible rush as the volleyball slammed solidly into his chest.

An eruption of laughter could be heard as Micky doubled over and struggled to regain his breath. Even winded as he was, he was still blushing furiously. God, he couldn't believe he'd done that!

He was too concerned with getting his wind back to check, but he hoped fervently that the girl wasn't watching…

Peter trotted over to him then, trying valiantly to control his laughter. "Hey, man, you all right?" he asked, his dark eyes showing concern despite his amusement.

Micky took in one last lungful of air, and then he was good. "Yeah, Pete, I'm fine," he assured, standing to his full height.

Peter nodded, then returned to his spot on the court. Standing on Peter's other side, Davy craned his neck to look over at Micky. "What was that about?" he asked, trying to look as if he hadn't found Mick's blunder to be absolutely hilarious.

Micky gave a disgruntled huff and shook his head. "Forget about it," he replied, his dark eyes becoming fierce in his determination to salvage what little remained of his pride. "Let's do this!"

With one last laugh, the other team's server sent the ball sailing over the net. The game commenced, and Micky focused his full attention on it. All thoughts of the beautiful girl were buried completely, but not forgotten.

The ball was catapulted and hurled through the air at vicious speed. Micky and his team had managed to make two more points two their opponents' one. But the game was hardly over.

"Thought Mike said he was gonna be right back," Micky said, making a desperate dive for the ball and digging it back into the air just in the nick of time. "He was just going to the pad for some water, how long can it take?"

"Maybe he had to go to the little boy's room while he was there," Peter speculated as he hit the ball back over the net.

"Well lovely," Davy said, moving to intercept as the ball came hurtling back towards them. "Still wish he'd be a little quicker getting his Texas tush back here!"

Meanwhile, a good few yards away from the volleyball court, the three girls stood together, leaning casually against a wooden fence at their backs and enjoying the sun as they watched the people around them. They had each ordered an ice cold drink from the little oceanfront drink bar, and were taking some time to enjoy their beverages before heading up the wooden steps to the beachside apartment complex.

None of the girls had been paying any particular attention to the volleyball game that had been going on…That is until an explosion of laughter had bombarded their senses. The girls looked over to see one of the guys was doubled over. Judging from the volleyball that was lying in the sand only a few feet from him, it wasn't hard to figure out what had just happened.

The girls couldn't help but giggle themselves. The tall blonde felt a swelling of sympathy as she watched the guy straighten back up...And inwardly, she was a little impressed. He was a six-footer, easy.

"Poor guy," she murmured.

The others nodded in agreement, and Taryn, the brunette, turned to look at her friends. "At least he's all right, though."

They watched with interest now as the game started up again. It was quite the sight. The guys were pretty good, and seeing them exert such energy clad in nothing but their swimsuits was an especially nice treat.

"Thank God for volleyball," the tall blonde said, her deeply appreciative expression broadcasting her feelings much better than her words had.

The other blonde, Shea, smirked knowingly as she glanced up at her considerably taller friend. "Oh I know. They are so skilled. I can never tire of watching that."

The tall blonde, Jacelyn, laughed. The special emphasis her friend had placed on the word "skilled" had not escaped her notice. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with admiring the wonders God puts before you," she replied coyly.

As she spoke, her eyes shifted again to the gorgeously long and lean young man who had been hit by the ball. She noticed now that he had a head of thick, dark curls. He was…remarkably skinny, but toned it a way that made it obvious he had strength. Every now and again she caught a flash of muscle in his torso and shoulders as he moved…

"Ah-ha," Shea intoned. "Someone's got your attention, I see."

Jacelyn couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. "Guilty as charged!"

At her other side, Taryn chuckled and rolled her eyes fondly. "Jace, thank you for being so single!" she enthused.

The tall girl laughed. "You're very welcome!"

Shea shot the brunette a mock glare. She was the only one of the group to be in a relationship. "Way to single me out, Taryn," she teased.

Jacelyn laughed again while Taryn gave a little mock bow. "My pleasure."

The girls then lapsed into a companionable silence as they finished off their drinks, their eyes returning to the various activities on the beach. Jacelyn's attention was equally divided between the glistening blue waters of the surf and the volleyball match. She loved to swim, and she was one of those who was always captured by the spectacular beauty of nature. But, oh! Shirtless boys--that one in particular…

She supposed she should have been embarrassed by her boy crazy behavior, but she couldn't bring herself to care. As a woman new in her twenties, one might forgive her the slight obsession. And while, yes she was certainly quick to appreciate a cute guy, she was hardly shallow. She knew the difference between "eye candy" and a person of true character. And she knew she wanted the latter when it came to sharing her heart. The "pretty boys" had nothing to offer her. But that didn't make them any less fun to look at.

And speaking of fun…

"Let's go get Erin," she said, pushing off the fence and walking over to the trash can to throw away her empty cup. "I don't know about you, but I'm sick of treating fun like it was a spectator's sport!"

The other two wasted no time in joining her, and together they headed up the wooden steps to the beach-side apartment complex that was their friend Erin's new home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Bit of Conversation**

Mike closed the door to his apartment, then headed through the apartment complex to rejoin his three roommates and best friends in their volleyball game. He had indeed taken a potty break in addition to getting some water as Peter had guessed. But it had been a quick enough delay, and before Micky had even been pummeled with the ball, he was heading back. As he walked, he alternately hummed and sang "Papa Gene's Blues" softly to entertain himself.

He was just passing the laundry room when something caught his eye. Or more appropriately, someone.

Stopping in his tracks, Mike stood just outside the open doorway and looked inside. A girl was standing with her back to him. She was facing the coke machine set at the laundry room's back wall, looking for all the world as if she were ready to do battle with it.

"Stupid hunk of wasted metal!" she spat at it, her hands balled into fists at her sides. "Either give me the coke or give me back my money, or so help me…"

She shifted her weight in preparation to kick the thing, and that's when Mike figured it was time to intervene.

"Excuse me," he said, stepping into the room and to her side in only a few long strides.

She startled slightly at the sound of his voice, and whipped around, her eyes widening when she found herself faced with a slim chest. Taking a step back, she tilted her head to look up into the face of a handsome young man. Her eyes were instantly captured by his warm brown gaze. Briefly, she glanced up at his sleek black hair, and then to the curious green wool hat he wore, before returning her eyes to his.

Mike smiled sheepishly. He hadn't gotten a look at her face before now, and he was struck by her loveliness. Her eyes were incredible--blue, at once soft and vibrant, like a new morning sky. Hair of bright copper framed her face; the perfect compliment to her light eyes.

He cleared his throat. "Uh, hey there! I'm Mike," he said, smiling shyly.

Her return smile was dazzling, and he watched as she unconsciously lifted a hand to tuck a strand of her red hair behind one ear. "Oh, hi Mike!" she replied. "My name's Erin."

Her friendly demeanor gave him confidence. "Nice to meet you, Erin," he said. He cast a brief glance at the soda machine, then looked back at her. "This thing giving you trouble?"

She gave a short laugh and nodded. "Yeah. Dumb thing ate my money."

"Ah," he intoned, and then grinned at her playfully. "Which explains why you looked ready to tear it apart."

She winced slightly and darted her eyes to the floor. So he had seen her little display. Perfect. "Ok, so how badly have I embarrassed myself?"

He laughed. "Oh don't worry about it," he assured. "It does that to us all. If we could just be sure the landlord would replace it, we'd gleefully drive it off the complex with pitchforks."

Erin had to struggle to keep her wits about her. He had a distinctive southern drawl, that was warm and not at all unpleasant. Truth be told, it was enough to melt her. And those eyes…!

She laughed again and looked back up at him, relieved that he didn't seem to think her foolish. "Good to know it's not just me."

His brown eyes were irresistibly warm as he smiled down at her. "No. Definitely not just you."

She returned his smile, secretly thrilling at the way he towered over her. As a tall individual herself, she was rather fond of the guys of impressive height.

Mike's expression became curious. "So have you lived here long? I don't recall seeing you around before." _And I'd certainly remember if I had…_he thought.

"No, I moved in last Wednesday," she replied.

"Ah, so you're the reason that moving truck had me barricaded into my parking space," he said with mock severity.

Erin gasped, her soft sky eyes growing alarmed. "Oh I'm sorry! We tried to get everything off as quick as we could…"

"Nah, I was just playing," he assured, and laughed when she reached up and hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Actually our car wasn't parked anywhere near the truck. We just noticed it is all."

"We?" she asked curiously.

"My three roommates and I," he explained. "We live just down the way there. Only a couple of doors from you, actually."

"Well it's great to finally meet some neighbors--even if one of them is a smart-alack Texan!" she laughed. _Not to mention insanely good looking, _she added mentally. Mike carried the cowboy image impressively well, she'd give him that.

"Ouch," he said, pretending to be deeply effected by her words.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh don't give me that," she said with a smile.

His chuckled softly, and then expression then became sincere. "May be a few days late, but welcome to the neighborhood, Erin."

She beamed up at him, touched by his sweetness. "Thanks! I'm really enjoying it so far. This is a great place."

"It really is," he agreed. "Right on the beach. Can't beat that…" He paused then as he remember that there was currently a volleyball game going on. One that he was supposed to be taking part in.

Talk about lousy timing.

"Listen, I really hate to run off," he told her apologetically. And boy did he ever! "But I just remembered there's a volleyball game goin' on that I better get back to or I'll never hear the end of it."

She laughed, and his grin widened in response. He liked it when she laughed, it was pleasant, infectious.

"Well that's no good," she replied. "I don't know how I'd stand the guilt of causing you such grief."

"Oh I don't know about that," he said, and then he chuckled. "Though Micky--that's one of my roommates I was tellin' you about--would certainly see to it I understood just how badly I was missed."

She giggled lightly. "Bit of a character, is he?"

The Texan gave her one of those looks. "Oh you have no idea!"

She cocked an eyebrow at that. "Really?" At his nod, she couldn't help the wry smirk. "You might be surprised."

That got his interest. "Know the type?"

"And how!" she affirmed. "One of my best girlfriends is like that."

He considered that for a moment. "Hm, I think I'm gonna have to meet this girl sometime," he said, giving her a lopsided grin. "After all, it's not everyday you meet a girl version of Micky!"

Erin's smile broadened at the thought. A girl version of Micky? So that meant that there was a boy version of _Jacelyn_? Good Lord! "Count on it!" she agreed with a laugh.

He had to remind himself to breathe. Those eyes were something else. Large and expressive, their blue depths shot through him like a current. He grinned and extended a hand to her. "Well, Erin, it's been a pleasure meeting you, and I look forward to seeing you later on."

"Likewise, Mike," she replied happily, accepting his offered hand. "See you around!"

With one final smile, he turned and headed out of the laundry room, then proceeded toward the beach. Erin paused momentarily, then trotted out of the room to watch him go, her eyes remaining fixed on his retreating form until she could no longer see him. She was glad to have met him. There was something about him, a subtle playfulness, a calm gentility, a hidden strength that was absolutely dashing…and incredibly sexy.

"So," came an inquiring voice from behind, "who was that tall glass of water that just walked outta here?"

Startled for the second time that day, Erin gave a little yelp and turned around. There stood Jacelyn, Shea, and Taryn, all grinning at her in a knowing manner.

"Yeah, and does he have a brother?" Taryn asked playfully.

Erin felt the warming of her cheeks, and knew maddeningly that she was blushing. "Hi, guys!"

Jacelyn noted her friend's blush, and her smile broadened. "Gotta say, Erin--not bad!" She winked at her friend.

The redhead felt herself blushing again and decided it was high time she stopped that. Taking a steadying breath, she composed herself. "When'd you guys get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago. We were on our way over to your apartment when we saw you here," Jacelyn replied. "And don't change the subject!"

Erin lifted her eyebrows at that. "Pushy much?"

Jacelyn laughed and stuck out her tongue.

Shea grinned at the two of them, then got straight to the point. "So, you gonna tell us his name or keep us in dying suspense?"

"His name's Mike," Erin replied. "Turns out he and his three roommates live only a couple doors down from me. Don't know how I missed that."

Shea chuckled and looked at her friend with bemusement. "I don't either!"

Jacelyn's eyebrows lifted at Erin's words. "Three, huh?" she questioned. She turned her head to gaze in the direction Mike had gone, and smiled. "Interesting."

Erin knew that smile only too well. "Hey now!" she interjected with a laugh. "Don't go getting your hopes up just yet. I've only seen him--for all we know, the others aren't nearly as fortunate in the looks department."

"Maybe," Jacelyn conceded. She returned her gaze to her friend, and her smile became decidedly impish. "But if your Mike is even the slightest indication of what his buddies have to offer, I'll take my chances!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Swimmin' in the Deep Blue Sea**

Fifteen minutes later found the girls out at the beach, soaking up the midday sun. They lay stretched out on their towels, taking some time to let the sun do what work it would on their fair forms before heading into the water. Though all were pale to some extent, Jacelyn and Erin had the most sensitive skin of the four. They would not be able to endure the heat of the beach sun for long. So everyone was taking what sun they could, while they could get it.

From her place between Shea and Erin, Jacelyn breathed a soft sigh, effectively breaking the long stretch of silence they had lapsed into. She lifted herself into a reclining position and looked down at her copper-haired friend.

"Too bad he didn't ask if you wanted to watch the volleyball game or something," she commented. She and the others had made Erin give them a play-by-play of the conversation their friend had had with Mike. Happily, they hadn't been left wanting, as the redhead had been only too happy to oblige them.

Erin laughed, not bothering to open her eyes. "For someone who wasn't even there, you sure are putting a lot of thought into this," she observed. "Why the interest, Jace?"

The dark blonde shrugged carelessly. "Just sayin'. It would have been a particularly nice gesture on his part."

Erin opened her eyes and looked up at her friend, one copper eyebrow raised knowingly. "Naturally, your hang-up doesn't have anything to do with a certain curly-haired stud who can take a hit with a volleyball like a champ?"

This brought Jacelyn up short, as Erin knew it would, and the redhead's smile broadened victoriously. She had been well informed on the guys her friends had seen playing volleyball before coming up to meet her. And she had been well informed about the one in particular who'd captured Jacelyn's interest.

To Erin's delight, her tall friend had no response. "I…well…" Jace stuttered, struggling to find some way to brush Erin's comment aside.

The redhead propped herself up on her elbows, her soft blue eyes dancing. "So the mighty Jace is left speechless!" she gloated playfully. "This is too great--I really want to see this boy now."

Jacelyn couldn't help the blush that heated her cheeks. "It's not _that_ big of a deal," she hedged.

"Oh but it is!" Shea interjected, her platinum hair gleaming nearly white in the bright sunlight as she moved to sit up. "A boy's got your eye, Jace. You can't expect us to let that go!"

Jacelyn laughed at that. "It's not like my being interested in someone is an extreme rarity, you guys."

"Can't argue with that!" Taryn agreed with a laugh from Shea's other side. She then grinned at the leggy blonde in a way that was particularly maddening for its recipient. "But clearly you want to see him again."

Jacelyn chuckled softly and shook her head. "Ok, so why are my interests suddenly so damn fascinating to you all?"

"Hey you bought it up, Jace," Shea replied with a smirk. "We're just calling you out on it."

"You're very kind," Jacelyn commented wryly. They were all looking at her expectantly now, waiting for her to admit aloud what they already knew. Jacelyn grew a little unnerved by their combined scrutiny, and lowered her eyes to her towel. "All right, fine," she conceded shyly, looking at her towel as if she found it to be the most fascinating thing in the world, "so I wouldn't be entirely opposed to the idea of seeing him."

A chorus of giggles and victorious exclamations greeted her admission. Jacelyn smiled at their excitement, feeling her own giddy happiness rise within her, which she quickly struggled to quell. It would be pathetically immature for her to get all slap-happy over some boy who didn't even know she existed.

"Don't blame you in the least," Shea enthused, her green-blue eyes dancing. "He's cute!"

"Hey, maybe he's one of those roommates Mike mentioned," Taryn speculated, glancing at Erin and giving her a wink. "Then the four of you could double date. How adorable would that be?"

Erin laughed and sat up. "Oh, will you stop? I just met Mike _today_, remember?" she replied. "And anyway, why do I get the wink? Jace is the one so ga-ga over a dude it's sad!"

"Shut up!" the tall blonde exclaimed with a laugh, flicking some sand at Erin's middle and then taking victorious delight as she watched her friend's struggles to brush the little grains off.

"Ah!" the redhead exclaimed, squirming uncomfortably at the feel of the sand on her soft middle. "Jace! Was that really necessary?"

"I was provoked," Jacelyn insisted, and then looked at the otheres. "You all saw it!"

Erin was all set to reply, when the sound of a masculine voice distracted her. "And so we meet again," came the familiar Texas drawl.

Erin turned her head so fast the others were surprised it didn't snap right off her neck.

"Mike, hi!" she gasped, hoping she didn't sound as pathetically eager to everyone else as she did to herself.

"Hey!" he replied, and the grin he gave her caused her heart to do a little flip-flop. Erin mentally sighed at herself. So much for Jace being the ga-ga one…

At Mike's side were three other guys, all dark-haired except for one, who was more of a sandy blond. Erin could only assume these were Mike's roommates. Her eyes shifted to the one at Mike's right, the one who was almost as tall as the Texan. And very nearly as skinny. A head of thickly curling hair set him apart from the others, and she noted absently how its dark chocolate color was mirrored almost perfectly by his eyes. Her smile broadened very slightly at the sight of him. Was this the one who'd caught Jace's eye?

"We noticed you guys heading down towards the water earlier," Mike said, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Figured if you were still around when our game was over, we'd all come over and acquaint ourselves."

"I'm so glad you did," Erin replied, and then proceeded to introduce herself and her friends to the four of them.

"So," Mike said after the introductions had been made. His dark eyes shifted to the blonde who was of impressive height--just like Erin. He grinned. "You must be the one Erin was telling me about."

Jacelyn laughed. "Probably," she admitted, then cast a speculative glance the redhead's way. "I can only imagine what was said."

"Only good things," Mike said, winking discretely at Erin, who positively swooned inside. The man officially had her interest.

Jacelyn laughed. "Of course," she said sarcastically. She tried to keep her eyes from straying too often to the curly-haired man at Mike's side--Micky, the one who'd captured her interest during the volleyball game. She couldn't believe her luck!

"You guys played some great volleyball, from what I saw," she continued, her eyes flicking back to Micky despite her best efforts. His dark gaze met hers, and with a start she smiled shyly then hurriedly looked back at Mike. "So how long have you guys lived here?"

"About a year now," the Texan replied, and inwardly Jacelyn had to admit she agreed with Erin--the guy had one smooth accent.

"What is it that you do?" Erin asked him. They hadn't gotten around to that earlier.

"We're musicians," the small one, Davy, replied.

"Oh that's great--I love music!" Jacelyn said excitedly. She looked over at Micky, unable to resist the pull. "What do you play?"

He smiled, pleased at her enthusiasm. "Drums," he replied. "And I provide vocals for a lot of our songs--we all do."

"Wow," she breathed, truly impressed. Music was a passion of hers. Ever since she could remember, she had been impressed, inspired, and moved by it.

Micky found he could not respond. Her beautiful dark eyes, an incredibly dark green that shaded to brown at the pupil, were alight in a manner that was breathtaking. He found himself wondering if he'd ever seen eyes more beautiful.

"And what about the rest of you?" Jacelyn asked, pulling her gaze away from his with surprising effort.

She learned from the guys' responses that Mike was a guitarist, Peter was skilled with several stringed and keyboard instruments, and Davy provided the percussion accompaniment with such instruments as the tambourine and maracas.

"That's fabulous!" Shea said. "What do you call yourselves?"

"We're The Monkees," Davy replied, and as he did so, each of them posed as if introducing themselves to an audience. The girls giggled.

"Maybe you could come and hear us play a gig sometime," Peter offered.

"Oh we'd love that!" Jacelyn exclaimed. "Just say the word and we're there--or I am, at least." She chuckled apologetically to her friends. She hadn't meant to speak for them.

"Most definitely," Erin agreed. She wouldn't miss the chance to see Mike perform for anything short of a national emergency.

"Great, we'll be sure to let you know when our next one is gonna be," Micky said, looking again at Jacelyn.

"Excellent!" the tall blonde enthused. She then cocked her head to the side and looked at him, considering. "By the way, you're the one who got hit with the volleyball, aren't you?"

Micky blanched at her question, and gave a little wince. She'd seen that? Terrific. Just peachy.

"Uh…no?" was his brilliant response. The guys cracked up at that, and he mentally face-palmed. That was stupid…

She gave him an amused look. "Oh really?" she questioned. "Because it sure looked like you."

"Yeah, well, you know…" he fumbled as he searched desperately for something, _anything_ to say that would let him save face. "I've got one of those faces that…you see all the time!"

Oh dear _God_. That definitely wasn't the brilliant save he'd been looking for. He just needed to shut up, right now.

Everyone got a good laugh out of that one. "Well that's no good," Jacelyn replied after her laughter had died down. "And really, too bad it wasn't you, because if it was I was going to say that you have skills, my friend...And vigor. I don't think I've ever seen anyone take a hit with better poise."

He perked at that, unconsciously drawing himself up in a proud manner. "Really?"

Jacelyn nodded, smiling impishly. "Yes. But oh well, doesn't matter now." A wicked gleam came into her lovely hazel eyes. "You must have been the one whose idea of "strategy" was to run around and fall."

Micky gaped at her while she burst into renewed laughter. "Alright," the drummer said, his lips curving into a dark smirk. "Now this is happening."

Without warning, he hoisted Jacelyn up over his shoulder. She squealed as her world was momentarily turned on its head. Next thing she knew, her torso was hanging like a sack of potatoes down the length of his back, and she was staring down at the sandy ground--a good few feet below. She gasped at the sudden change of perception and fumbled awkwardly to regain her bearings, instinctively keeping her movements slight to avoid throwing him off balance and sending them both crashing to the sand. She was pretty high up--she didn't relish the idea of him going down...

And then he was marching steadily for the water. It didn't take her two seconds to realize what he was going to do.

"Oh no!" she protested, giggling despite herself. "Micky, no!"

Grinning like a banshee, Micky walked until his was knee-deep in the water, and then he dropped her gracelessly--right into a coming wave. Her resulting shriek was cut short as the water rolled over her. Coughing and sputtering at his feet, she cleared the water from her eyes and then glared up at him. He was laughing heartily, quite pleased with himself.

"Ha-ha. Very funny," she intoned, and then extended a hand to him. "How about helping me up, hot-shot?"

Gaining control of his laughter, he reached down and took her hand in his. He just had time to register the sudden glint in her dark eyes before she gave a mighty heave and sent him crashing face-first into the water beside her. When Micky pushed himself up a second later, shaking the water from his ears and eyes, her laughter was there to greet him.

He smirked, pushing his wet curls from his forehead. "I can't believe I fell for that!"

"Me either!" she agreed between giggles. "First the volleyball and now this. You're on a roll today, fuzzy!"

Micky jerked his head back to her, an amusingly shocked expression on his handsome face. "Oh, you didn't!" he growled.

He lunged for her, but she was already on her feet and running for the shoreline, the peals of her laughter echoing back to him. He was quick to react, and in the next heartbeat was on his feet, chasing her down. A few jogs with his long strides and he was upon her. He scooped her into his arms and ran her back into deeper water, both of them laughing as Jacelyn kicked out uselessly to escape his grip. He trudged on until the water was to his waist, and then he sent them both plunging into the water.

Back on the sand, the others watched, highly amused, as Micky and Jacelyn surfaced. There was a brief exchange of more banter, which resulted quickly in a water fight. Davy chuckled, and Mike shook his head, grinning broadly.

"Well, guess it's safe to say those two hit it off!" Peter laughed, voicing what everyone was thinking.

Erin laughed. "Yeah, just a little!"

Out across the water, Jacelyn's triumphant shout could be heard as she'd apparently succeeded in dunking Micky. Her glory was short-lived, however, as suddenly she was pulled below the water, too. A few seconds later, both emerged, laughing and breathless. Everyone watched as Jacelyn flicked a small object at Micky's forehead, and then laughed when he flailed back in mild horror.

"Was that...Did you seriously just flick a _hermit crab_ at me?" they heard his baffled demand, a priceless expression on his face.

She laughed and nodded. Micky gaped at her for a moment, and then he was cracking up. She took advantage of his amusement to try and get away, but he launched himself at her, catching her mid-flight.

"You are _so_ gonna regret that!" he exclaimed, laughing with her as the water fight ensued full force.

That was all Davy cared to be a bystander for. "Well, no sense letting them have all the fun," he said, exchanging a smile with the others before heading into the surf.

They didn't need any further encouraging, being just as eager to join in their friends' fun as he was. In no time at all, eight young adults were engaged in play as if they were kids again. They splashed and dunked, laughed and played with full abandon as the sun sailed steadily across an azure sky.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: All the Pleasures and the Fun**

"Ok time out--you guys drive _this_?" Jacelyn asked, gazing appreciatively at the sleek red machine parked just in front of her. She stepped up to the car, circled it once so that she could get a glimpse of every angle, and then looked back at the guys with an awed expression. "It's amazing!"

The guys positively beamed with masculine pride at Jacelyn's reaction. Truth be told, the car was their baby. They couldn't help but delight a little when others admired it.

It was a modified Pontiac GTO that featured a two-piece windshield, a touring car T-bucket-type convertible top, modified rear quarter panels and front fenders, and exaggerated tail lamps. Across the door on the driver's side, the group's name was painted in vibrant yellow.

They had spent all day down at the beach laughing and playing, and now evening had set in. Shea was the only one to depart, as she had plans to spend the evening with her boyfriend. Everyone else was commitment-free, and so they'd collaborated on where to go for dinner. Eventually, they'd decided on a local pizza place, and the guys had offered to drive everyone.

Jacelyn had wondered how they planned on fitting seven people in one car. One glimpse at their ride, however, and she didn't doubt that they could manage to everyone inside. The thing was an impressive size.

The tall blonde stepped back to the group, then paused as something on the car's bumper caught her attention. Her eyes narrowed curiously as she studied the object, and then she looked over at Micky questioningly.

"Is that a parachute?" she asked, pointing to the object that did in fact look very much like a bundled parachute.

The drummer smiled broadly and nodded. "Yep!"

She laughed gleefully. "Very nice, guys! I'm officially impressed."

Mike chuckled. "Yes sir, that there's the Monkeemobile--our pride and joy." He glanced over at the other girls, who also appeared to be fascinated by the car. "We each chipped in to pay for it."

Jacelyn nodded, secretly finding it adorable that they called their car "The Monkeemobile," and looked back at the red machine. It was blatantly apparent that each of the guys had needed to combine their money to pay for it. The thing was one seriously revved up car. She recalled how the guys had mentioned that they often struggled to make money as undiscovered musicians, and she didn't doubt the truth of that. But after seeing their ride, she developed a new appreciation for their plight. She was willing to bet that car was at least partially responsible for them being short on cash. She wouldn't have been surprised to learn that the vast majority of their money had gone into paying for it.

Not that she blamed them. If one was going to spend money on a car, one might as well do it right.

"All right, guys," Mike said, unlocking the car. "Pile in."

He sat in the driver's seat, and Peter called shotgun. That left Micky, Davy, and the three girls to fit themselves into the backseat. They took a few minutes to discuss the best way for them to all fit. Predictably, Micky and Davy willing offered their services as living seats for the girls.

Jacelyn rolled her eyes at them playfully. "How very kind of you."

Micky laughed and shrugged. "I'm a giver, what can I say?" With that, the drummer slid his long frame into the backseat. "Come on, Jace," he called back to her, patting his leg invitingly.

She stepped up to the door and smirked at him. "Try not to look so bummed about this," she teased.

He grinned broadly. "It's either me or Davy, girl, take your pick." She paused for a minute, considering her options, and he snorted in mock indignation. "Oh come on," he said. "Like sitting on Davy is a much better option."

The Englishman shot him a dark look. "Gee, thanks, man."

Jacelyn giggled lightly, but still hesitated. Truth be known, the idea of sitting on a guy's lap was a little…intimidating to her. It was childish, she knew, but it still gave her pause. Besides, Micky was so _skinny_. She eyed his slender form doubtfully. Jacelyn was hardly heavy, but she couldn't help but think that she could be heavy to _him_. And that was hardly encouraging.

Micky smiled warmly. "Come on," he encouraged. "You can't sit on Davy--too much leg." He winked at her.

"So I'm about two seconds away from killing you," Davy said, glaring daggers at his best friend. "I want you to understand that."

Micky laughed, but let up. He knew how Davy hated being picked on for his height when girls were around. He turned his attention back to Jacelyn, who was giving the Englishman a consoling look. Micky had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Leave it to the small one to get sympathy points.

"All right now, seriously, Jace," the drummer said, drawing her attention back to him. "Get in here!"

Jacelyn looked back at him and chuckled. "All rig--Whoa!" She let out a little shriek as Micky grabbed her arms in a firm but gentle grip and hauled her right into the backseat to land sprawled upon his lap.

"Nice," she said, casting him a wry glance as she scrambled to sit up.

He just laughed, looking entirely too pleased with himself as she settled upon his lap. "Hey, you were taking too long," he dismissed as the others filed in beside them. "Figured I'd hurry things along before we missed dinner entirely."

She glared back at him over her shoulder. "Yeah well, if your legs start to go numb, don't go crying to me because I will _not_ feel sorry for you."

He smiled and gave a careless shrug. "Fair enough."

Beside him, Erin sat on Davy's lap. Jacelyn and Micky glanced at them and then shared a grin. The small Englishman did indeed look all but lost beneath the redhead's long legs. Hearing a snicker, Davy looked over and saw the amused looks Jacelyn and Micky were giving him. He shot them a warning look as Taryn squeezed in beside him. "Not one word, you guys!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Jacelyn assured, struggling to contain her mirth. Davy really was such a cutie.

"Speak for yourself, chick," Micky said, casting a smirk Davy's way.

The Englishman craned his neck over Erin's shoulder to look back at the drummer. "One more time, Dolenz. I'm warning you," he said, grinning despite himself.

"All right, children," Mike cut in, clearly amused. The others looked forward to see the Texan grinning back at them through the rearview mirror. "The car's about to be in motion, so let's try to contain ourselves."

"No promises," Micky replied absently.

Chuckling lightly, Mike put the car in reverse and headed out of the parking lot. Various conversations took place almost simultaneously as the Monkeemobile drove towards the pizza place, its engine rumbling impressively. Of course, a conversation without banter was hardly worth having, and needless to say there was plenty of banter to go around. Out of respect for making Mike's driving experience less hectic, though, Micky and Jacelyn _did_ contain themselves. For the most part.

Mike seemed to be on a personal mission to get them to the pizza place as swiftly as possible. He zipped in between cars like a racer and practically flew down the street.

"Man," Micky commented as they sailed by another car. "Get us there real quick-like, Mike."

The Texan chuckled. "Hey, no sense wasting time when pizza's on the horizon."

"Well, do what you gotta do, just make sure we _get_ there," Jacelyn replied, only half-joking. She didn't particularly relish the idea of the car so much as nudging anything with her just perched on Micky's lap like she was.

Mike flicked his brown gaze back at her briefly through the rear view mirror. "Your lack of faith hurts me, Jace."

She smirked. "I'm sure it does."

"'Course it does," he shot back. "Especially when you've got Micky there to keep you safe. He's better than any seat belt!"

The drummer chuckled and tightened his grip on the girl in his lap. "He's right, man. Just try pulling anything out of my iron grip!"

Jacelyn cast him a speculative look over her shoulder, then with a swift tug pulled her arm right out of his grip. She arched a tawny eyebrow at him triumphantly. "Oh yes," she replied, wiggling the fingers of her freed hand at him. "I feel safer already."

"I wasn't ready!" he protested.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of The Beached Italian Pizzeria and parked at the restaurant's front.

"So, what part of Texas are you from, Mike?" Jacelyn asked as they all got out of the car.

"Houston," he replied. "It's a city down in…"

"South Texas," she interjected, smiling, "I know. I'm from Texas myself."

He shot her a surprised look. "No kidding?" he acknowledged. She nodded and he smiled. "Well, makes sense," he added teasingly. "I knew there was something I liked about you."

They all walked up to the restaurant entrance, and since Mike got to the door first, he held it open while everyone filed inside. "What part of Texas are you from?" he asked Jacelyn as she passed him.

"East," she replied, adding a quick "thanks!" as she walked through the door.

He nodded. "Anytime, pretty lady."

Jacelyn gave a broad smile. "Gotta love that southern hospitality."

Mike chuckled, pleased by her statement. Micky was just behind her, the last person to go in. Mike waited until the wacky drummer had passed before stepping inside himself.

"I was born in Tyler," Jacelyn continued as they proceeded into the restaurant.

"I know the place," Mike replied with a nod. "It's nice."

"It really is," she agreed. "It's been a good few years since I've been there. I need to go back--see how things have changed."

They found a table located near the back of the restaurant that was happily large enough to seat all of them. The seven young adults wasted no time seating themselves and deciding on what they'd like to eat. Soon, the waiter came by and they placed their orders.

"Poor guy," Shea commented as they watched the teenager rush off to take care of all the orders they'd just thrown at him.

"Yeah, my hat goes off to waiters," Peter agreed. "I don't think I'd be very good at that job."

Mike laughed, thinking off all the times Peter had broken a plate or a glass when doing the dishes. Or the different concoctions Peter had tried to pass off as food during the nights it was his turn to cook. "Can't argue with that, ol' buddy!"

"Yeah, but he's gonna get a nice tip from serving all of us," Micky pointed out.

Mike winced and nodded. "Can't argue with _that_ either."

A few minutes later, the waiter returned, his tray laden with all of their drinks. Everyone smiled and thanked him as he set their drinks in front of them.

"So, Jace, have you seen Avery's hair yet?" Taryn asked, looking over at her friend.

Jacelyn grimaced and nodded. "Yes, and I had successfully blocked the image from my mind until you reminded me," she replied. "What gives, Taryn? I thought you said he was cute."

Taryn gave the tall blonde a shocked look. "That's cause he is!" she insisted. "What's wrong with you that you can't see that?"

Jacelyn gapped at the brunette. "Are you serious? That hair gives me the wig, Taryn. That man should not be blond, it's just not right."

"Erm…" Micky cut in, looking from one girl to the next. "What exactly is going on here?"

"Avery is this guy who works at the apartment complex where Taryn and I live," Jacelyn explained.

"You know," Davy commented with a chuckle, glancing at the three girls, "I find it rather amusing that your names all rhyme like that."

"I know, really," Micky agreed. "How'd you guys set that up? Seriously?"

"_Anyway_," Jacelyn continued, smiling her amusement though she pointedly ignored the boys' remarks. "He's got this…kind of mousey brown hair. And he dyed it blonde earlier this week."

"And he looks incredible as a blond!" Taryn broke in, to which Jacelyn merely cast her a speculative glance.

"And so, what?" Micky asked. "Does he look like a Q-tip now or something?"

Jacelyn looked at him, surprised, and then she laughed. "Actually…"

"He does _not_ look like a Q-tip!" Taryn insisted.

Jacelyn gave the brunette an unsettled look. "Taryn, I'm a little disturbed that you're so into this dude," she admitted.

"Oh, wow, I'm sorry, are we judging each other now?" Taryn replied, her lips curving into a dark smile. "Because if you want to go there--"

"Aaaaand, here comes our food," Mike interrupted, thanking each of his luck stars individually and by name that their food had arrived at such a perfect moment.

"All right!" Jacelyn exclaimed as the pizza was laid before her. "I'm starving!"

"Dang," Micky remarked, impressed as he watched her help herself to four slices right off the bat.

Taryn laughed. "We think Jace has a tapeworm or something," she told him, smiling fondly at the tall blonde.

Time seemed to fly for the new friends. Soon their food was ordered and placed before them. Their conversations continued a mile a minute as they ate. Micky and Jacelyn really had hit it off, as their friends had observed. They talked about anything and everything that struck their fancy. Jacelyn was warmed by the fact that he cared to listen to her at all regarding some of the trivialities she told him.

As their meal neared its end, Jacelyn excused herself and headed for the restroom. She navigated her way to the back of the restaurant, where a sign bearing the word "restrooms" was blazing larger than life. She pushed open the door to the women's restroom--and drew up short mid-step.

The room was very dimly lit, so much so that Jacelyn wondered if there were any lights on at all. The only real source of light came from a single candle that flickered on the counter in between the two sinks, its soft orange glow barely extending an inch past the sinks' rims.

Jacelyn remained where she was in the doorway, her mouth dropping open. It was as if the restaurant owners were going for a romantic feel with their bathrooms…and had lost interest one iota into the attempt. It was the most surreal, creepy bathroom scene she had ever walked into. Especially in a little pizza place like this one.

And she cracked up.

All notions of going to the bathroom now well vanquished, Jacelyn turned on her heel and headed back to the table, doing her best to stifle her laughter.

"Well that was fast," Erin commented when her blonde friend returned not two minutes after she'd left.

"You guys have to see the bathroom!" she told the girls through her laughing. "It's all totally dark--with _a single candle_ in there for light!"

"No way!" Erin commented. "The men's bathroom too?"

Jacelyn gave her a look, and then her laughter began anew. "Because I _so_ went in there to check!"

The guys were very intrigued by this bit of information.

"Oh man, I have to check this out!" Micky exclaimed, and off he went. Sure enough, he came back in short order, laughing the whole way. "So, yeah--Ours, too!"

This, of course, led to everybody having to get up and check out their respective bathrooms. It dimly crossed Jacelyn's mind that they probably made quite the curious sight: seven young adults heading as one over to the bathrooms, looking inside, and then cracking up as they left.

Needless to say, their car ride back was anything but quiet.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The Call**

Jacelyn scrambled madly around her apartment, trying to catch her friend's cat as he darted about wildly, eluding her grasp as only a cat could. Her own cat, a gorgeous Siamese-tabby mix named Tabatha, was absolutely no help. The blue-eyed female just sat--the very picture of loveliness and calm, collected grace--on the couch and watched the haphazard scene with an amused look in her clear-sky eyes.

This particular cat that Jace was chasing was a short-haired black. And he was young, just shy of a year old. Taking care of him was a bit of a wake-up call for Jace, as it had been a good long time since she'd had a kitten. Tabatha would be eighteen years old this coming April, only a month away now. Jace had gotten the blue-eyed beauty as a six-week-old ball of fluff when she herself was four years old, and the two had been inseparable ever since.

"I swear, cat, come _here_," she murmured heatedly, just as the black hellion dove under the bed. She sighed as she got down on her stomach. Perfect. It'd be so _easy_ to get him now.

Her black ward's owner, a sweet-tempered friend of hers named Melinda, had gone out of town for a couple of days, and Jace had offered her services as a pet-sitter for the little terror. It was times like this that made Jace take a special appreciation for the kitten's name.

Nightmare.

She spotted Night's gold eyes staring impishly back at her from the bed's other end. She rolled her eyes. Of course…

Standing, she moved to the opposite side of the bed, all the while contemplating the futility of her actions--once she reached him, he would simply move someplace else.

"Really, Night, would it kill you to be the gentleman I know is in there somewhere and give me a break here?" she complained as she again got on her stomach, smiling despite herself. She was quite taken with the little bugger.

Expecting fully to find he'd gone to some other location, she looked under the bed and was surprised to see him in the exact same spot. He was just lying there--mere inches from her face.

"Awe, you do love me!" she enthused with a laugh.

He was the very picture of adorable innocence as he looked back at her, his sunlit eyes the only things she could see amidst his night-dark face.

She snorted as she reached out and pulled him to her. "Don't try to be cute, cat!" she admonished gently as she picked him up and headed over to the balcony door. "I still think you're a brat for knocking my drink over."

She opened the door and let him outside. He loved to be outdoors, and her apartment was on the second floor, so this was the one place she could put him where he could have fun to his leisure and--most importantly--she didn't have to worry about him.

Leaving the door open a space so that he could come back inside if he chose, Jacelyn turned and joined Tabatha on the couch. Once she'd sat, the lovely she-cat stood and moved to curl herself into Jacelyn's lap. The blonde's smile grew as she cuddled and stroked her favorite companion, looking down into a pair of striking blue eyes. The cat's purrs drifted up to Jacelyn's ears, and her heart swelled. Tabatha was always purring, and it was one of Jacelyn's favorite sounds.

"Yes, my love, we all know you're perfect," the blonde said tenderly as she continued to love on her cat. And that was basically true. Tabatha had her moments--who didn't?--but she was on the whole an absolute angel. Jacelyn was head over heels for her.

The phone rang then, startling them both and causing Nightmare to come running in, his tail arched over his back, his ears swiveling, his eyes wide and curious. Jacelyn giggled at him as she reached out to the secretary by the couch and picked up the phone.

Her heart immediately lifted when she heard the voice on the line.

It was Micky!

It had been a couple of days since she and her friends had met the guys. After they'd finished at the restaurant and Mike had driven them all back to the apartment complex, she and Taryn had needed to head for their own homes. Before getting into her car--as vibrantly red as the Monkeemobile--Micky had asked if he could have her number. He had been so adorably shy and sincere about asking her, and she didn't hesitate--she wouldn't have dreamt of it!

"Do you have any plans for this weekend?" Micky asked, after they had gotten the initial greetings out of the way. He was clearly excited about something.

"Not at the moment," she replied, a hint of hopeful anticipation coloring her voice. "Why?"

"Well, the guys and I are doing a gig at--are you ready for this?" he prompted her, his eagerness getting the better of him. "The Psycho Jello!"

"The Psycho Jello?!" she exclaimed, absolutely flabbergasted. "As in _The_ Psycho Jello?"

The Psycho Jello was the hottest club in the city, the kind of place that existed once every decade--at a point in the social nexus when the gods of publicity, fashion, and celebrity converged to create a singularly spectacular environment. It boasted a cocktail-clientele of the city's most beautiful, envied, notorious, and all-powerful citizens.

He chuckled. "_The_ Psycho Jello," he confirmed.

Jacelyn couldn't find her voice. This was incredible! She had never heard of unknowns getting into The Psycho Jello...At that thought, her eyes narrowed in mild suspicion. "Are you messing with me?"

"No, I'm serious," he replied. "We made it in, Jace!"

_Oh my god!_ She swallowed, really speechless now. One didn't just _get in_ to The Psycho Jello. Yet her new friends had apparently done so. It was practically newsworthy.

"Wow, Mick…" she breathed, so staggered by the news that for a moment her mind was numb. Then her excitement flooded over. "_Congratulations_!" she all but shrieked into the phone.

At the other end of the line, Micky jerked his ear away from the receiver a bit and chuckled at her exuberance.

"Oh, Micky, this is terrific news! I can't believe it--how did you manage it?" she asked, overjoyed for her friends.

"I know a guy," the drummer replied, his tone playfully boastful.

"Well, geez, remind me to get myself into your social circle!" she teased.

Micky laughed, and then sobered. "We did a gig at The Bliss last week, and apparently a couple of guys in charge of the entertainment for The Psycho Jello were there and heard us play, because we got a call today asking us to do a gig for them this weekend. This is _huge_, Jace! Do you realize what this could mean for us if we do a good job?!"

Yes, she did. It could very well mean the launch of a career for them. If the right person heard them--and given the people who frequented The Psycho Jello, that was basically a certainty--they would be set.

"Micky, this is fantastic!" she said, so proud of them that she was amazed she hadn't sailed right out of the apartment. "I…I can't even begin to describe how happy I am for you guys!"

"Thank you. Imagine how we feel!" he replied. "And I'm glad you're excited, because I wanted to ask you if you'd come and hear us perform."

Jacelyn had to remind herself to breathe. "Oh…! I'd love to!" she said. "But…" and here her spirits fell, "I could never afford it. The entry fee alone costs a small fortune."

"You don't have to worry about it," he told her. "You're covered--we can each bring any guests we like. Free of charge!"

Her jaw dropped. "No way!" she exclaimed. "Well, heck, that's awesome--I'd love to go!" She was practically bouncing around in her seat. "I get the chance to hear my friends play, and I get to do it in the city's hippest club--I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

Micky grinned broadly and gave a silent victory punch. "Great!" he said once he'd composed himself. "I'm pretty sure Mike's asking Erin, too."

"Excellent," Jacelyn replied, smiling. So Mike had asked Erin, had he? Jacelyn was thrilled for her friend. She knew how taken Erin was with Mike. "She and I can go together, then. Make a day of it. What time do y'all play?"

He chuckled. "Ah," he teased, "_there's_ that Texan coming through."

"Shut up!" she snapped playfully.

He laughed and then answered her question. "We go on at eight, but we'll be there a couple of hours beforehand practicing and stuff."

"Ok, well then Erin and I will get some dinner and then head on over there like seven-ish," Jacelyn said. "That sound good?"

"Sounds great, Jace!" he replied. "See ya then!"

The minute they hung up, Jacelyn squealed and twirled across the room. Both cats watched her antics with slightly alarmed expressions.

"Oh come on!" she giggled, looking over at them. "Like you haven't seen me be hyper before!"

She couldn't wait! She had never been to The Psycho Jello before--she was hardly the _creme de le crem_ material that was the club's patrons. This would be a weekend to remember! But what she looked forward to most of all was seeing the guys--particularly Micky--in action. That, she had no doubt, was something truly worth experiencing, and it had been no idle comment when she'd told Micky she wouldn't miss their performance for anything.

Releasing a delighted laugh, Jacelyn grabbed then phone and dialed Erin's number. Her smile broadened impossibly as the redhead answered, and she had to resist the urge to giggle inanely. "So," she said, her excitement palpable through her words. "Apparently we're up for a serious treat this weekend!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Watch Us Sing and Play**

Saturday night found the girls escorted back stage, where Jacelyn and Erin immediately spotted the boys. The four band mates were busy getting everything set for their performance, and hadn't yet noticed the girls. Jacelyn smiled kindly at their escort and thanked him, then she and Erin headed over to the guys. They stopped just behind Micky, who was bending over his drum set, completely absorbed in what he was doing.

Jacelyn down at him, then she lifted her gaze to look at the others. "Word around here is you boys are pretty good," she said cheekily. Four pairs of brown eyes snapped in her direction as she spoke, and her smile grew as she looked at each of their faces in turn, her dark eyes settling with deliberate finality on Micky. "I do hope it's true."

The guys were momentarily speechless. Standing before them were two of the most beautiful girls they had ever seen--and those girls were none other than Jacelyn and Erin! The band mates had to struggle somewhat to keep from openly gaping at the two girls. It wasn't as if it had escaped their notice that Jacelyn and Erin were lovely--that fact had been apparent from day one. But tonight! Tonight they were…staggering.

Micky blinked, his eyes roaming over Jacelyn's form appreciatively. She was wearing a deep scarlet one-shoulder top that hugged her slender frame nicely. Her subtly-flaring hips were covered by a short black skirt that topped off her unbelievably gorgeous legs, their endless length further enhanced by a pair of red heels.

The drummer had to struggle a bit to swallow. The blonde's overall apparel was an enticing combination of sultry and classy. It betrayed nothing while still hinting at the secrets it contained. Her clothing did a marvelous job of illustrating that Jacelyn had some generous curves.

"Wow," Peter admired, smiling broadly. "You guys look amazing!"

_Understatement of the century,_ Micky thought as he nodded in mute agreement, his eyes never straying from the gorgeous blonde.

The girls smiled and thanked him, pleased by the praise. Jacelyn and Erin were they type of girls who knew how to dress, and they had decided to use every bit of that knowledge tonight in honor of the guys' gig.

"A table's been reserved for us at the front of the stage," Jacelyn told them, her dark eyes alight with excitement. "It's perfect--nothing can obscure our view of you guys!"

Micky said something in response, but as far as Mike was concerned the drummer's words were nothing more than an inconsequential blur. The Texan's gaze was helplessly drawn towards Erin. From the moment he'd turned and caught sight of the beautiful redhead, he couldn't take his eyes off her. Erin looked fabulous in a bright blue dress that brought out the brilliant color of her eyes and enhanced her copper hair. The dress had a wide neck and hugged her torso in all the right places, flaring enticingly about her knees. He saw her blush under his scrutiny, and his smile grew.

"…don't you think, Mike?" Peter's voice filtered into the Texan's awareness.

Mike blinked and looked at his friend. "Huh?"

Peter gave the Texan a curious look. "I said, it's about time for us to go on soon, don't ya think?"

Mike blinked. Oh. "Yeah…" he replied vaguely. He noticed the funny look Peter gave him in response, and ignored it.

"Yeah, the guy who led us back here did tell us the crowd would be setting in soon," Erin commented, and then looked over at Jacelyn. "Guess we'd better head out there."

The blonde nodded her agreement, then turned to give the guys one last, beaming smile. "I can't believe this is happening!" she exclaimed. "I'm so proud of you guys!"

Before leaving, she and Erin gave each of the boys a hug. She hugged Micky last, their embrace different from the ones she'd shared with the others in a way that was both unconscious and inexpressible. Her eyes lifted to gaze into his as they pulled apart. Being so close, Micky could clearly pick up on rich brown melted through her green eyes. The brown made her eyes appear much darker than they were, so that at first glance it was easy to overlook the green in them.

"Good luck," she murmured softly, for him alone.

His answering smile was brilliant. "Thanks," he breathed, and watched as she and Erin headed out.

Mike looked over at Micky and smiled when he noted the expression on the drummer's face. "See somethin' ya like there, Mick?" he teased.

Micky started a bit, as if he'd forgotten that there was anyone else near him. Embarrassed at being caught practically fawning over a girl, he tried his best to shrug the whole thing off. Leave it to Mike to just drag something into the open like that.

"Something I like?" Micky said, as if the Texan had just asked his opinion of the club's decor. "Not really, why?"

"Whatever you say, good buddy," Mike intoned, not convinced in the slightest. His friend's tone had been a bit _too_ dismissive. And besides, he'd seen the way Micky had looked at Jacelyn.

"Man, those girls are knock-outs!" Davy interjected. He hadn't paid much heed to Micky's reaction--or Mike's, for that matter. He was known for being a bit oblivious to the world around him when attractive females were around. "Havin' a girl like that on your arm could put spring in a man's stride."

Peter laughed. "Well, why not go after one of them?" he suggested. "They're both free."

Micky remained carefully silent.

"Man, I can't," Davy lamented. "I'm devoted to Lily right now."

Mike chuckled. It hadn't been lost on him that the last part of the Englishman's words had held a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

"_Lily_?" Micky asked, looking questioningly at Davy. "What happened to Linda?"

"I though her name was Lindsey," Peter said, confused.

Davy had the decency to blush as he smiled sheepishly. "Knock it off, you guys."

"All you knock it off cause we're about to go on," Mike interjected with a grin. That familiar rush of excitement was building inside him. "Let's play some music, guys!"

*****

The Monkees were introduced to the crowd amid a round of polite applause and a whir of unspoken excitement--who were these newcomers with their long hair and nice clothing? Would they be any good?

"Hello, everyone," Mike said, stepping up to the microphone as he addressed the room. And Erin smiled at the pleasant sound of his Texas drawl. "We're The Monkees, and tonight we're gonna start off with our drummer, Micky Dolenz, singing _I'm a Believer_."

That first song had everyone out of their chairs and on the dance floor in record time. Jacelyn and Erin had been among the first few to get out on the floor, and they laughed elatedly as they twirled and swayed together to the upbeat and highly contagious melody. It took all of one lyric before Jacelyn came to the conclusion that the guys were phenomenal. She'd never heard anything like it. The guys' music was something people could absolutely get into--and by the looks of things, they were.

As she danced, Jacelyn's eyes strayed continually to Micky. She was very, very impressed, and this opinion showed clearly on her face, for any to see if they cared to look. From the moment he'd opened his mouth, Jacelyn understood why the guys had told her Micky sang the majority of their songs. He had a wonderful voice! So vibrant and warm, rich and full of the very passion that was so naturally _him_. He was undoubtedly a tenor, with a voice that was highly individual. Its unique sound set the group apart from others Jacelyn had heard.

Following their first number, the guys performed _Take a Giant Step_ and _Let's Dance On_, both of which were sung by Micky. The next featured Davy, and was called _This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day_. The song had a more exotic flare that Jacelyn delighted in. She found it was quite easy to be taken by the guys' music. Their songs were hip, wonderfully danceable…and what was more, each was refreshingly distinct. The songs broke free of the redundancy that seemed to have been permeating the music world of late. Jacelyn laughed as she danced. She was having the time of her life. She only wished Micky could be dancing with her…

As the guys carried _This Just Doesn't Seem to be My Day_ to a close, Mike stepped back up to the microphone. "How we doin' so far?" he asked, an enormous grin plastered on his handsome face.

He was answered by a roar of cheers and applause. Jacelyn and Erin let loose and hollered with all their might. Naturally, the guys heard them, and they positively beamed under the special praise.

Mike chuckled. "I'll take that as a 'yes,'" he said, winking down at Erin, who caught her breath at the sight.

Oh! He could do so much with a single look…

"For our last number tonight," the Texan continued, "we'll be doing a little ditty we call _Sweet Young Thing_. Sung by--" and here he flashed the room a confident little grin that was undeniably sexy, "yours truly."

More wild cheering ensued, and the guys wasted no time in starting their final number.

_Now __**this**__ is a song!_ Jacelyn thought as she was rocked to the core by the heavy tune with its slight country twang.

There was nothing "little ditty" about _Sweet Young Thing_. The rapid tempo, the throbbing bass, the pounding percussion had Jacelyn's pulse racing as the melody hammered through her bloodstream and consumed her. The song was wild and excellent for hard dancing--and she danced with abandon. It was the perfect piece to end their performance. It had captured the atmosphere of the club perfectly, and when the guys finished, everyone was begging for more.

The guys nodded to the audience, visibly elated by the praise. Jacelyn and Erin clapped and cheered with renewed vigor, and shared a significant, excited glance. They knew this reaction was more than any of the guys had dared to hope for.

While Mike told the crowd they needed to make way for the next act, Micky sprang from the stage, and in two long strides was engulfing both girls in a euphoric hug--each of his long arms wrapped around a slender waist. Jacelyn joyously returned the embrace, throwing her arms around his neck and holding on tightly while he laughed and nudged his head against hers. In the next instant, she felt the weight of another pair of arms as Peter joined in the hug, followed rapidly by Davy, and finally Mike.

"Make room!" the Texan announced as he pushed Micky away from Erin enough to let him squeeze in and wrap his arms around her. He'd be damned if he missed an opportunity like this! Micky chuckled and relented easily enough. It was easy to see that Mike was taken by the lovely redhead. He happily turned his full attention to Jacelyn.

"You guys were fantastic!" Jacelyn told them as they all released the hug. "Better than I ever dreamed!"

Micky quirked an eyebrow at her, interested. "You dream about us?"

"Which one?" Davy interjected eagerly before the blonde could make a reply.

Everyone laughed, and Jacelyn smacked him on the shoulder. "Oh come now," she chided. "Where's the fun for me if I tell?"

Mike chuckled. "So that's how you roll, huh?"

Her answering smirk was as playful as it was proud. "Absolutely."

Micky laughed and then glanced at the table that had been reserved for them--the one at the front of the stage where the girls had been sitting. "Hey, come on," he said, gesturing towards the table with his head, "let's get our table before any of these higher-ups decide we don't deserve it."

They moved to the table and sat down. They talked while the next group to perform--The Mad Warlocks--set up on stage. Again, Micky's eyes strayed to Jacelyn. He couldn't get over her. He wanted to tell her how gorgeous she was, but balked at the possibility of coming across as too forward. They hadn't known each other for very long, after all. His eyes strayed to her curtain of tawny hair. It spilled over her shoulders, silky smooth and perfectly straight. It was a stark contrast to the loose waves he'd seen when they'd met.

"Your hair is lovely straight," he found himself saying, his tone soft. It was a statement spoken solely for her benefit. No sense broadcasting it to the whole table.

She gave him a smile that brightened her enchantingly dark eyes. It was a smile that was rapidly becoming his favorite. "Thanks," she replied, and then gave a soft laugh. "I'm glad, too. Cause it's naturally like this."

That surprised him. Those loose curls he'd seen the day they'd met had seemed natural enough. "You mean it doesn't normally wave?"

She shook her head. "Nope," she replied. "I'll wave it like that every once and awhile, cause I just love the look. But this is how it naturally is."

"Well, no complaints here," he said.

It was no idle statement. Her hair was wonderfully thick, and looked to be as soft as satin. It spilled over her shoulders like a banner of burnished gold.

The new group was starting up, and music once again filled the room. All around them, people got up and began to rock to the music, their bodies highlighted and accentuated by the flashing of the club's multicolored lights. Micky saw Mike and Erin get up to join the dancers, and wasted no time making his move with Jacelyn. Standing, he held out a hand to the leggy blonde, tilting his head to one side inquiringly, a soft smile curving his lips.

"Dance with me?" he asked, his dark eyes gazing into her own. They were lovely, her eyes--large and dark and so beautifully expressive.

Jacelyn nodded and gave him _that_ smile. "I'd love to," she said, placing her small hand within his.

Giving her a brilliant smile of his own, Micky pulled her to her feet, and together the two of them moved out onto the dance floor.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Moonlight Serenade**

It was late by the time they left the club and headed for home--or very early in the morning, depending on how one preferred to look at it. For that reason, Erin suggested that Jacelyn just sleep over at her place. They had danced and thoroughly enjoyed themselves like it was going out of style, and both were now dog-tired. Erin didn't like the idea of her friend driving home so late, even though Jacelyn only lived roughly ten minutes away.

The blonde needed no persuasion, and the two promptly readied themselves for bed. Erin lent her friend a pair of sleep shorts and a top, seeing as Jacelyn's club attire was hardly idyllic sleepwear. Wishing each other good night, Erin then headed into her room, while Jacelyn lay stretched out on the couch in the living room. It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, as Jacelyn's long legs were testament to the fact that she was not built for couch-bunking. But it would do for a night.

Yet tired as she was, Jacelyn's blood was still humming from all the excitement, and she simply couldn't go to sleep. With a soft sigh, she sat up and headed for the balcony door. It was pointless for her to try to sleep when she had such energy coiled within her.

Jacelyn smiled as she opened the door and felt the ocean breeze drift softly over her. She closed her eyes as she stepped outside, breathing deep of the salty ocean air. Shutting the door quietly behind her, she walked over to the railing and sat down, enjoying the sound of the crashing waves a short distance off. The moon sailed full and brilliant in the infinite blackness above, bathing the world with its silvery light. Jacelyn lifted her eyes to it, captivated by its beauty.

She sat silent for a long moment, perfectly content to bask in the glory of the night. And then, her eyes still focused heavenward, she began to sing.

****

Micky walked along the shoreline, enjoying the feel of the waves as they lapped at his feet. After he and the guys had returned home, he had been far too energetic to sleep. It had been a fabulous night, and his blood was still caught up in the whirlwind of it all.

To spare the others his maddening restlessness, he'd decided to go for a brief walk along the beach. The guys were well used to his animated nature and were generally very tolerant. But the activities of the night had left them practically dead on their feet, and Micky knew better than to push their limits. He would let them sleep in peace. Getting up and doing something was the best solution when he got like this.

And so, after wishing the guys a fond good-night, he'd slipped outside and headed down to the water's edge. The solitude was wonderfully soothing after the night of loud music and pulsing activity. He let his mind wander as he walked. Not surprisingly, his thoughts turned to a tall blonde with a wacky personality to rival his own, and he smiled broadly. Jacelyn was a great girl. He was glad to have met her, and that they had become friends.

Micky paused in his stroll to look out across the vast blackness of the ocean, taking a moment to marvel at the way the moonlight illuminated it dark waters with an enchanting blue-white glow. Releasing a breath, he then lifted his face to behold the incredible brightness of the moon itself as it sailed within the velvet expanse of night sky high above.

Suddenly, from somewhere not too far off, a woman's voice rose in song.

_"Hearts call, __  
__Hearts fall, __  
__Swallowed in the rain."_

Micky turned sharply, and looked back at the apartment complex. It sounded like the voice was coming from there.

_"Who knows? __  
__Life grows __  
__Hollow and so vain."_

His was moving then, heading back to the apartment complex in quick strides, eager to see who it was that sang so beautifully. He had never heard a voice like that before, and it called to him with the allure of a siren's song.

_"Wandering in the winter light, __  
__The wicked and the sane __  
__Bear witness to salvation, __  
__And life starts over again."_

The woman's voice was unusually rich. And as she sang, her voice flowed up into the high registers with a clear and vibrant quality that reminded him of the perfect ringing of a silver bell. He was overcome by an urgent desire to hear more, and to know the woman who could sing with such technical purity and yet also with such heartfelt emotion.

He saw the silhouetted figure of a woman setting out on a balcony a couple of buildings down, and his pace quickened to a near-jog.

_"Now the clear sky is all around you. __  
__Love's shadow will surround you __  
__All through the night."_

He stopped when he was standing just below the woman's balcony and look up, slightly baffled. He knew this apartment. This particular balcony was three over from his own…This was where Erin lived.

But the woman sitting up there now was not the redhead who'd captured Mike's attention. Though tall like Erin, this one's hair was much too long, and not that vibrant copper-fire hue. Interesting, he reflected dimly, Erin hadn't mentioned anyone staying over at her place…

Micky's eyes widened as recognition hit him, and he nearly gasped aloud. She…That was Jacelyn!

She was gazing at the moon while she sang, oblivious to her audience of one standing ten feet below. The silver light spilled over her, causing her pale skin to gleam, a subtle echo of the moon's coldfire glow. Her earth-gold hair fell over her shoulders like a curtain, the ends stirring softly in the night breeze…

_"Star glowing in the twilight, __  
__Tell me true. __  
__Hope whispers, and I will follow __  
__'Till you love me too..."_

Micky couldn't believe it. Hers was a voice of absolute beauty and transparency. He'd had no idea she could sing at all…He listened, completely mesmerized as she repeated the last two versus, and then brought her song to a gentle close.

He opened his mouth then, intent on calling to her. But at a last reflection he held himself back, even as he drew breath to speak. He had no idea what he would say to her once he'd caught her attention. Words failed him to accurately describe how lovely he'd found her voice. She sang like an angel, like something out of his dreams…

But the reality was it was two in the morning, and she had obviously not intended on having an audience. What would she think of seeing him standing out here at this late hour, gazing up at her dumbstruck directly below? Micky didn't consider that to be the most flattering of mental images, so he remained silent.

Jacelyn gazed out across the ocean a moment longer, and then she turned and headed back into the apartment. Micky heard the soft click as she shut the door, and then slowly he turned and headed back for his apartment, all thoughts of a night stroll now long gone. He was enthralled by the sweet memory of her voice. It was still there, ringing inside him, beguiling him…

And as he walked, he softly hummed a bit of that hauntingly beautiful melody.

_"Till you love me too…"_


End file.
